Jesus

Most of the characters in O'Connor's work are devoutly religious. There are some that are morally and spiritually corrupt - scammers, thieves and murderers, but they always come in contact with someone who preaches the word and redemption of Christ. Most of the time, the non-believers are repelled or angered by the vehemence of the preachers and there are times when violence ensues. A good example of this can be seen in "A Good Man is Hard to Find."

The grandmother in the story is a religious woman who believes in proper behavior and manners. There are certain ways people should behave in accordance with God's law, and that law must be obeyed. The practice and theory of this law seems to have been lost on her son, Bailey, and the two older children. The grandmother hates that the children do not honor her or their parents.